The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-19

eame"-when the Hayes commission came to
I LOUISIANA. mat IS the da!e, and that is the
ls to be dated. 1t WAS by the grace of Hayes
and his commission from the goth of April
| that the, redemption of Louisiana was to
date, and at a mysterious conelaTe between
behalf of Gov. Nichols and the Hayes com
mission, another reform speaker tells US,
where the dlckers, pledges and trades were
contaminated that secured our freedom in
! April, 1877.
| How are we to reconcile those statements
with the proclamation of Gov. Francis I.
| Nichols, dated March 20, 1877, declaring
that his government, was firmly established,
and that there would be no compromises
| from that time forward that would be odious
history OF thu. eytnts OF 1S77-the history
| from the LIST of January to the close, with
| every dispatch sent by Coy. Nichols or sent
| by myself in that negotiation. 1t is too long
| a story to weary the people with now, and
have little desire to go back ten years to
| bubble, but it lisa
MISREPRESENTATION OF HISTORY
| to accept the statement that these mere in
| struments that were sent out here to carry
out the policy that had been agreed upon be-
fore the people of the whole country.--a
Hayes had been committed III Februsry--a
| policy to which every leading Republican in
| the United States Senate and in Con-
gress had Leen committed! in February;
not a bargain, made IN a corner,
light OF day, but a stipulation made and
compelled by action at Washington that
! forced the acknOwledg ment from Grant and
Hayes, and from the leaders Of The Republi-
can party that thereafter the military hand
was to be taken from this State, and that the
people Of Louisiana should be as free as the
people of New York. 1t was not done in
April. It was not done by one man. In the
| early part OF those events the senior Senator
t set forh e IN he hg NAN
! was not actively engaged. When this new
| movement was inaugurated and the Demo.
cratic caucus had met to declare what action
they would take upon the decision Of the
pentstives,, Ellis and Levy, went before that
caucus and begged and piesd with the Democ-
r2cy OF this country that il they had any
pan or POLICY a, looking toward the inaugural
ton OF Mr.. Illden and wonld tell us whas
it was, we would step to the rescue and pre-
ter1nit the discussion Of our own affairs but
If they did not, and if they Mad determined
| to yield up the contest, then we demanded in
the interest OF the Democratic party Of the
country, and of common Justice, that the
stipulation should be made that Louisiana
and South Carolina should go free. What
was the answer to our demand-to our plead
ings5 .,.o,,oo r,,., H.. ,
the orderly execution Of the act OF Congress
creating the Electoral Commission.
Where was Louisiana and the Nichols
g 60 ,1 men at that iTnctrre, when the
arms, surrendered the national con-
test. also louisiana and South Caro-
organized sith which Senator Gibson had
nothing to do. We insngnratea the Ouachita
thirty.twn members in the House of Repre-
Sc atatives who were resisting the count, and
| begged and plead with the other Democrats
| 20 come in and make stand until we could
brighten the Republican leaders into agree
South Carolina go free. It was the
ADOPTION OF THE oUAcH1rA PLAN
on the floor of Congress that gave lls the
guarantees under which the commission was
cent to Louisiana, and they were no more
| than mere set of clerks to carry out the
work that had been commanded of them,
caucus, when called upon Mr.. Hewitt, the
chairman Of the National Democratic Com
mittee. Sir, what are we to tell the Den1oc-
| recy OF Louisiana? How are ~e to account to
them for this abandonment" .'Why, Mr..
! want to Do anything that we can for Louisi-
ana" How can you Say that in the face OF
the sction OF the caucus last night? You lay
down your arms; you surrender not only the
national contest, but with it you surrender
Democ-stic success in the future" 'Weil.
Mr. Burke, he said, ''the Democratic party
esnnot affqfd to take the responsibility Of
ptti;RP a e. this is country into anas.hy and
| sponsibiiity fairly and squarely upon the
shoulders Of the Republican party and go
before the people four years hence.'' ''Ah,
Mr., Hewitt, that may do for you in New
York; but down in my State the lives and
at stake. You cannot have peace and order
! in this country with Louisiana under carpet
| bag rule We will be compelled to force
military government over our peoe i9 pref
ment under which We have suffered. We viii
be compelled to fight, and South Carolina
! will fight, and the result will be our sister
States, will be drawn into it and the country
may be put in revolution. Where will se
your values and trader" A statement OF the
! bers,, Mr.. Hewitt himself doing what he
| could. He said that he could not oppose
THE FINAL. VOTE
on the count because he supported the cleo
total bill, but he went to the Democrats in
the House and he carried this statement of
Mr. Ellis and Mr. Levy and our friends we
swelled that opposition to the count to Is
| votes, and then it was that the pledges and
guarantees were given that Louisiana should
go free.
WASHINGTON. Feb. q, 1s77-o:3O p m.
Gov. F. T. Nichols:
We have been one week organizing force to
compel guarantees securing your government.
Conferences to-day and Tonight with Sherman.
Matthews, Dennison, Garfield and Foster. We
assure peGce, order. protection of law to white
and Blacks persecution for past political con-
| Duct; no immunity for crime. On the other
| hand by gradual process such methods rs result
| III your full possession Of the government, by
| withdrawal of troops, interference. revoca-
| ton of military orders.
AS to Senate go close. PAL ty lines so drawn that
! friends believed if Kellogg and Democrat pres
| ent credentials March 4. great danger of Kel-
loeg being seated. Could we agree as part of this
arrangement to let long term senat0rship re-
main vacant now, and call extra session about
! March 10 to elect. and provided the vote on ad-
| mission OF long term Senator be deferred until
| the extra session could elect Our leading Sen
| ators assure us hellog's admission can be pre-
vented until extra session of Legislature can
mediate election of Elstis or short term Senator
| There may be favorable action by the President
| immediately. Gibson sick.
| EA BURKE,
| Z. JOHN ELLIS,
| VIM. l.. LEVY.
! NEW ORLEANS, Feb q, 1877.
E. A. Burke:
| Will Hampton Nichols resolution be called up
| tomorrow? Was 1t by party vote that rules
| were not suspended? Answer quick